The Vacant Throne: The Legend Of Kairu Vol 3 by Tim McFarlane Page A

voice?”
    “ Nothing, it’s
unique, and that’s the problem,” I answered. “Do you remember how
she sounded? It was more high-pitched than yours.”
    “ How about now?” she
mocked in an overly high-pitch voice.
    I gave her a look and she laughed. “How
about now?” she said in Lady Sandra’s voice.
    “ Perfect,” I said,
shocked. “What did you do?”
    “ Simply try and mimic
her,” she said, continuing the voice.
    “ Good, do that till
we are done,” I said.
    “ Yes, sir,” she said
with a mock salute. “Shall we work on walking too? Let me guess, I
walk like a man?”
    “ Probably,” I
replied.
    “ I’ll have you know I
have a very sexy walk and you’ll never get to see it,” she said,
turning away and crossing her arms. I gave her a look and she
giggled. “It is much more fun to play with you as a separate
person.”
    “ Wonderful,” I said
dryly. “Ready for your first acting performance?”
    “ I was born ready,”
she said with exaggerated drama.

Chapter
9
     
     
    The sun had crept
past the highest point and we would need to leave soon to get
through the Archanion Field before dark. We needed to get to
Thurlborn Peak but there was a place we could stop along the way
for the night. The Reed family farm.
    Bill sat in quiet
contemplation overlooking the field. When Cathy emerged from the
tent and adjusted her armour, Bill turned around and rose to his
feet. His face remained deadpanned as he approached us. He was
probably prepared for any order his Lady would give him, even if it
meant marching up the mountain to his doom.
    “ How are you, my
Lady?” he asked.
    “ Alright,” Cathy
answered, looking back at the mountain. “Different, but
alright.”
    Bill nodded like he knew what she had
meant. “Different is the right way to put it.”
    “ I owe you an
apology,” Cathy started sadly. “I owe everyone an apology, but that
won’t bring them back. My blind march for revenge has only resulted
in more people close to me being killed.”
    “ You and Ser Wilson
were close,” Bill agreed.
    “ Yes, they... we
were,” Cathy stumbled.
    I turned my head to give her a look but
she ignored me.
    “ What do we do now,
my Lady?” Bill asked.
    “ We head back to
Thurlborn Peak and warn the Lords of the attack,” Cathy answered.
“Balendar will be the first place attacked and it is still in
chaos.”
    “ Let us hope the
Lords have chosen a new successor,” Bill said. “You know how they
can get bogged down by politics.”
    “ We’ll have to show
them the way then,” Cathy replied with determination. “We can’t let
Thurlborn Peak and its citizens be brainwashed again.”
    “ Yes, my Lady,” Bill
said happily.
    Cathy turned to me. “An...Mage.”
    “ Kairu,” I reminded
her.
    “ Yes, Kairu,” Cathy
said. “I owe you my thanks. Your help ensured that we will live and
reach Balendar in time. I may not believe in the ‘positives of
magic’ as you put it, but I know your story. We need you to come to
Thurlborn Peak and help deal with the Lords.”
    “ If it means stopping
Desroche, I’m in,” I said.
    “ There’s no way we
will be able to make it to Thurlborn by nightfall and I don’t fancy
another night in Archanion,” Bill informed.
    “ The Balendar farm
land rests on the border,” I explained. “I know someone who can
help.”
    Cathy nodded. “We’ll
hit Riverwood in the morning and ferry down to Thurlborn by
midday.”
    “ We can check to see
if Lord Michaels has returned,” Bill pointed out.
    “ Exactly,” Cathy
nodded. She turned back to me. “Kairu, which way to the
farms?”
    “ We head back down
the same path around the Tower’s location,” I answered.
    “ Bill, lead the way,”
Cathy ordered. “We’ll watch for wildlife from behind.”
    “ Yes, my Lady,” Bill
bowed.
    Bill started on the
path east and I scanned the mountain side to ensure we were
protected from behind. I felt a couple weak life signs in the
distance, but nothing that would